First
of all we want to thank you all again for your support for the Karakola: those
of you who came for the demonstration on December 11th, those who
have written letters and sent greetings. It was very exciting to take the
streets together with so many people, such diversity, such energy.Photos and a short video of the
demonstration are at:

http://www.sindominio.net/karakola/acciones/manifestacion11122004.htm

Moreover,
we didnšt want all this support to be left up in the air, so we thought we
should let you know what has happened since the demonstration.We are sure that our presence in the
street that day created a moment of force, which is encouraging.

For
the moment, here is the news.We
will leave for later the analysis of this situation and the perspectives that
open before us (keep an eye on www.sindominio.net/karakola)

A
big hug and many thanks from

La
Eskalera Karakola

=======================================

The
Eskalera Karakola, a feminist social center in the Madrid neighborhood of
Lavapies has been a key space for feminist thought and struggle for 8 years
now, intervening in public space, in the street, in politics eight years of
struggle housed in a building, #40 Embajadores, which has survived until now
despite its ruinous conditions.There came a point, about three years ago, when this material limit
could go no further: ruin was taking over the space, taking over our time and
our energies, diminishing our strength.With what energy we had, we decided leap out into the void.

We
imagined, shaped and designed a project of rehabilitation and cession of the
space we illegally occupy. With this project in hand, we began to develop
strategies to open a process of negotiation with City Hall and with other
political forces. These negotiations were accompanied by actions, interventions
in public space, presence in the street, agitation in the media, etc.

On
December 11th 2004 we culminated this campaign strategy with a
demonstration which allowed us to occupy the streets of the center of Madrid
under the banner of łFor a new feminist presence: No to the eviction of the
Karakola˛, a message with much resonance for many women.With this we expressed our criticism of
the instrumentalization and victimization with which the institutions tend to
approach feminist demands.We
expressed the diversity of our messages, together with the collectives and
networks we work with every day.

And
the countdown began: on the 14th of December the trial was
held.A ridiculous trial, which we
denounced and continue to denounce: a trial in which, in order to defend
ourselves, we would have had to pay the desorbitant sum of 25,000 euros.A trial in which we did not even have
the right to a defense.All went
as we expected: we showed up with our lawyer, we saw the judge and the owner of
the building, they impeded us from speaking (the first question the judge asked
was łHave you paid the bond?˛).They ignored what we tried to say and read the sentence: they gave us
one month to abandon the building.

In
parallel, two days after the demonstration, the day before the trial, we
received a call from the Department of Urban Planning.They knew about the trial and about the
noise wešve been making.They made
an appointment for another meeting with us which we attended with few
expectations though, as usual, with some curiosity.We continued to be sceptical, we donšt trust them and then
suddenly it seemed something had happened.They had changed their tune.They finally stopped avoiding and deflecting us and we
heard, for the first time, a more or less firm commitment: the immediate
temporary cession of a 150 m2 shopfront in the neighborhood.

What
does this mean?What doors open
before a commitment such as this, not yet entirely confirmed?At least a stable place to continue
developing feminist practices and theories, to stimulate encounters and
actions, to continue weaving networks.Evidently, we read this cession as a victory.But above all, we read it not as an end in itself but as a
means to continue fighting.We are
aware that from City Hall this represents part of the strategy of Mayor
Gallardon, which is oriented to establishing contacts with sectors distant from
their usual supporters.We are aware
of what we have built in #40 Embajadores, what we have demanded, what we have
fought for brick by brick, and well we know that the real bone of contention
for the squatting movement ­ real estate speculation and the lack of habitable
spaces ­ remains unquestioned and unchanged.We are aware that these battles continue.But above all we are aware of our own
power to turn the tables, to invert the terms and above all, to continue
generating a critical voice from a particular feminist perspective, from a space
which will continue operating in autonomy and self-management.A new era begins. A new era, as always,
uncertain and stimulating.

For
the moment what is coming is an imminent eviction, always painful and impune,
and the perspective ­ still unconfirmed ­ of a new space of feminist production
in Lavapies.Wešll keep you
informed.